You're ignoring something that the Mr. Weingarten ignored also: even on good days, I don't want a cultural experience forced on me. I really don't. Busking feels to me like a violation of my personal space, just as real and infuriating as having strangers walk up and touch me. I notice plenty of good musicians when I take the subway. They want me to stop and pay attention to them and maybe give them a buck or two. I want to push all of them down onto the third rail. It's an imperfect world.

If Mr. Weingarten wants to really evaluate my ability to discern quality, maybe he should come down to the other end of the platform where I'm hiding from the buskers and ask what I'm listening to on my music player. Maybe I'm ignoring the guy giving a recital of the Kreisler violin concerto because I really prefer my Segovia (and honestly, how couldn't I?).